This Sunday (12/4) at 2 pm, the State Museum of PA will open a new exhibit, Pennsylvania at War: The Saga of the USS Pennsylvania. On view through the end of 2017, the exhibit explores the history of Pennsylvania's namesake ship during World War I and World War II (there have been several - earlier and later - that carried the name). The exhibit also inaugurates PHMC's most recent history initiative, "Pennsylvania at War," commemorating the 100th anniversary of U.S. entry into WWI (2017) and the 75th anniversary of entry into WWII (2016). On a related note, the Pennsylvania Military Museum will hold its annual Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day tribute on Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 12:45 pm. The event (rain or shine) takes place beneath two 14-inch guns from USS Pennsylvania. The ship was in dry dock at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. You can read more about USS Pennsylvania and about how the Pennsy guns ended up at the PA Military Museum in the Fall 2016 issue of Pennsylvania Heritage magazine.

Earlier this week, the State Museum shared a short clip of curators and exhibit staff installing a detailed scale model of USS Pennsylvania in the gallery (see below). I've included a photo of the Pennsy Guns at PMM to give you an idea of the size of the ship.

2015 Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Tribute (photo by Chuck Smith)

So, if this kind of activity - museum and archival work - appeals to you, there are currently three PA State Civil Service Commission tests open to fill jobs with the PHMC. They're called tests, but they're more of a resume restatement around a series of pre-qualifying factors (I ain't been a bureaucrat for more than 20 years for nothin'). Anyway, those who successfully pre-qualify are placed on a list from which interviews are scheduled when a civil service job opening is filled. (Unless you are in a PA civil service classification that allows you to bid on a job opening, you MUST be on the list to be eligible for consideration.) The timetables and requirements vary, so please be sure to read and follow all instructions carefully. Each test announcement includes info on existing vacancies, but these lists will be used for future openings as well (until the list is exhausted or expires). So don't wait!!